Latch for the slidable members of jaw wrenches



y 5, 1953 B. M. BOCKELMAN 2,637,234

LATCH FOR THE SLIDABLE MEMBERS OF JAW WRENCHES Filed April 23, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LATCH FOR THE SLIDABLE MEMBERS OF 1 J AW WRENCHES Bert M. Bockclman, Clarksville, Ohio Application April 23, 1951, Serial No. 222,403

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to a positive lock for adjustable wrench and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a positive lock for an adjustable wrench of that type having a fixed jaw formed integrally with a handle and having a movable jaw slidably mounted in the fixed jaw and movable by means of an adjusting nut revolubly mounted in a recess and threadably engaged with a portion of the movable jaw. The device comprising the present invention consists of an eccentric locking sleeve which is operable by a lever which lies flat against one side of the conventional handle and which may be operated to lock the movable jaw against any further motion with respect to the fixed jaw by moving this lever to one side or the other with respect to the handle.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, easily operable positive locking means for an adjustable wrench.

A still further object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of a novel eccentric locking sleeve forming a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View, partly broken away, of an embodiment of the invention shown in conjunction with a wrench,

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of a locking sleeve and handle forming a part of the invention,

Figure 4 is a somewhat enlarged side elevational view of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevational view of a locking nut formin a part of the invention,

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevational view of an inside locking sleeve forming part of the invention, and

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of an adjusting screw forming a part of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a wrench generally indicated at l0 and having an elongated handle ll one end of which is formed as a fixed jaw l2. A movable jaw I3 is provided with an extended er end of the handle ll.

portion [4 which is slidably engaged in an opening I5 in the handle I l The handle I! is provided with a rectangular opening H5 in which is positioned an exteriorly threaded adjusting nut I1 whose threads are engaged with teeth [8 formed in the inner side of the portion M of the movable jaw [3 whereby rotation of the adjusting nut H in the opening 16 will cause the jaw I3 to move toward or away from the fixed jaw I2.

The lower portion of the adjusting nut I1 is provided with a centrally disposed relatively large cylindrica1 opening l9 and the upper portion of the nut I1 is provided with a like but relatively smaller opening 20 which communicates with the upper end of the opening 19.

An inner sleeve 2! has its upper portion sweated or otherwise aflixed in the opening [9 and is provided with a centrally disposed vertically extending circular opening 22 which registers with the opening 20. The sleeve 2| extends downwardly to an opening 23 in the handle II and has its lower end afiixed within a circular recess 24 of a locking sleeve 25 whose upper portion is disposed in a recess 26 formed in the low- The sleeve 25 is provided with an integrally formed radially extending handle 27 and is centrally provided with an opening 28. An adjusting screw 29 having a head 30 extends through the opening 28 and thence through the opening 22 and the opening 20 and is threadably engaged in a recess 3| in the handle I! which recess is in registry with the openin 20.

The sleeve 25 is somewhat enlarged, as indicated at 3! adjacent each side of the juncture point of the handle 21 therewith thus to provide cam faces.

In operation, it will be apparent that the movable jaw 13 may be moved toward and away from the fixed jaw l2 by manipulating the adjusting nut I! in conventional manner and that when it is desired to lock the movable jaw I 3 in any selected position, it is only necessary to move the lever 21 to one side or the other of the handle II to thereby bring the cams 3| into wedging contact with the sides of the opening 26 to thus securely hold the movable jaw l3 with respect to the fixed jaw l2.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a wrench of the type described, comprising in combination with such a wrench having a handle with a fixed jaw integrally formed with said handle, an opposed movable jaw with an extended portion adapted to slide in said handle and said handle having a rectangular opening therethrough, the provision of an adjusting spirally threaded nut rotatably mounted in said opening, said extended portion provided with teeth on its inner edge engageable with the spiral threads on the said nut, an elongated screw having threads on its one end portion and extending from the exterior edge of said handle through said opening and said nut and threadably engaged in said handle, a means for holding and locking said movable jaw in various selective positions, said means including a circular recess in said handle and encompassing said screw head, a locking sleeve extending partially into 4 said opening and radially mounted on said screw and having a cam face adjacent each side 01' the juncture between said sleeve and said handle.

BERT M. BOCKELMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

